Foraging Movements of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) Nesting on the Isles Dernieres Barrier Island Refuge, Louisiana, USA

Authors

Virginie Rolland, Arkansas State University - JonesboroFollow
Brehan C. Furfey, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Aaron Pierce, Nicholls State University

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

WATERBIRDS

Abstract

Several populations of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger), colonial waterbirds with a tactile foraging strategy, are declining. Improving our limited knowledge of Black Skimmer foraging ecology has become critical to inform conservation decisions. Black Skimmers were GPS-tracked from the Isles Dernieres Barrier Island Refuge in coastal Louisiana, USA, from 27 June-1 July 2013 and 30 May-2 June 2016, to shed light on their foraging movements during the breeding season. Black Skimmers foraged almost exclusively at night, as far as 16 km from the colony in the coastal marshes of Louisiana, in a home range of 86-256 km(2). Additional movement data are needed to identify areas of conservation need and provide a basis for future studies of skimmer response to environmental changes.

First Page

95

Last Page

99

DOI

10.1675/063.042.0111

Publication Date

2019

Recommended Citation

Rolland, Virginie; Furfey, Brehan C.; and Pierce, Aaron, "Foraging Movements of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) Nesting on the Isles Dernieres Barrier Island Refuge, Louisiana, USA" (2019). Faculty Publications. 31.
https://arch.astate.edu/scm-biofac/31